(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a display device, and especially to an image processing apparatus by which one or both of three-dimensional images and two-dimensional images are simultaneously displayed.
(2) Description of the Related Art
As a technique for a viewer such a human to recognize a stereoscopic image among images displayed on a display device, a shift between images displayed on the left and right sides has been used from the past.
FIG. 1 is a perspective view for showing an outline configuration of a flat display device. The reference numeral 100 denotes a flat display device, the reference numeral 110 denotes a display panel screen, the reference numeral 120 denotes a bezel, the reference numeral 130 denotes aback cover, and the reference numeral 140 denotes the center line of the display panel screen 110 in the horizontal direction. The flat display device 100 is, for example, a television receiver which displays digital terrestrial broadcasting programs or videos (image) from a video recording/reproducing device.
In FIG. 1, a viewer views a displayed image in front of the display panel screen 110.
FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining a conventional example in which an image is recognized as a three-dimensional image by using a shift between images viewed by the left and right eyes of a viewer. FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining an imaging position between the left and right eyes in the case where a three-dimensional image is viewed from a correct viewing position. The reference numeral 210 denotes a display device, the reference numeral 211 denotes a display panel screen, the reference numeral 230 denotes a viewer, the reference numeral 231 denotes the left eye of the viewer 230, the reference numeral 233 denotes the right eye of the viewer 230, the reference numeral 250 denotes an image-forming position a, the reference numeral 251 denotes a display position of an image for the left eye a, the reference numeral 253 denotes a display position a of an image for the right eye a, the reference numeral 270 denotes an image-forming position b, the reference numeral 271 denotes a display position of an image for the left eye b, the reference numeral 273 denotes a display position of an image for the right eye b, and the reference numeral 240 denotes the center line in the stereoscopic view. FIG. 2 is a diagram in which the viewer 230 and the display device 210 are viewed from the above. In FIG. 2, the horizontal direction of the diagram represents the X-direction from the left to the right, and the vertical direction thereof represents the Y-direction from the back face to the front face. In FIG. 2, the center line in the stereoscopic view 240 corresponds to the center line (see the center line 140 of FIG. 1) of the display panel screen 211.
As shown in FIG. 2, the viewer views images located at different positions on the display panel screen 211 through the left eye 231 and the right eye 233. The viewer 230 recognizes as if an image a is present at the image-forming position a250 through the display position of an image for the left eye a251 viewed from the left eye 231 and the display position of an image for the right eye a253 viewed from the right eye 233. As similar to the above, the viewer 230 recognizes as if an image b is present at the image-forming position b270 through the display position of an image for the left eye b271 viewed from the left eye 231 and the display position of an image for the right eye b273 viewed from the right eye 233. Specifically, all of two-dimensional images are formed images on the display panel screen 211, whereas three-dimensional images are viewed as plural images with different image-forming positions. Accordingly, the viewer can recognize the images as three-dimensional images.
In this case, the both eyes (the center position between the left eye 231 and the right eye 233) of the viewer 230 are located at the position on the straight center line of the display device 210 in the stereoscopic view.
In general, when the viewer is located at a correct viewing position, a three-dimensional image is set to be displayed on the display panel screen 211, so that the stereoscopic image can be correctly viewed.
However, if the both eyes of the viewer 230 are located at positions largely apart from the center line in the stereoscopic view as shown in FIG. 3, an object is formed images at a position different from the proper position thereof, and the viewer 230 views unnatural three-dimensional images. As similar to FIG. 2, FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining a conventional example in which an image is recognized as a three-dimensional image by using a shift between images viewed by the left and right eyes of a viewer. FIG. 3 is a diagram for explaining an image-forming position between the left and right eyes in the case where a three-dimensional image is viewed from an incorrect viewing position. In FIG. 3, the same reference numerals are given to the same constituent elements as those in FIG. 2, and the explanation thereof will not be repeated. The reference numeral 330 denotes a viewer, the reference numeral 331 denotes the left eye of the viewer 330, the reference numeral 333 denotes the right eye of the viewer 330, the reference numeral 350 denotes an image-forming position a′, and the reference numeral 370 denotes an image-forming position b′.
In FIG. 3, the viewer 330 is located at a position apart from the center line in the stereoscopic view 240. Therefore, the distances from the left eye 331 to the image (position a251 and position b271) and from the right eye 333 to the image (position a253 and position b273) are different from those in the case where the viewer 330 is located on the center line in the stereoscopic view 240. Accordingly, the image-forming positions a′350 and b′ 370 are shifted from the correct image formation positions a250 and b270, respectively. Thus, the viewer 330 views unnatural three-dimensional images.